Month: August 2013

Although he looks unimpressed, McCarthy is one of cucumber’s biggest fans! This kid will down these things like candy and after reading Kimberly Snyders ” Beauty Detox” I’m thrilled every time he reaches for one of these gems. So why are these green guys so great?

Cucumbers are loaded with enzyme charged water, B vitamins, nutrients and electrolytes. Some other key minerals are potassium, calcium, iron and magnesium. Cucumbers are an amazing hydrator for our skin and can maximize the appearance of glowing skin. Besides the benefits of its water, the skin of a cucumber is made up of Vitamin C, which has anti-inflammatory properties and is soothing to the skin. This is why cucumber slices are commonly placed on our eyelids during our spa treatments. Ok, here comes the best part! Cucumbers fight the appearance of cellulite! The phytochemicals in the cucumber cause the collagen in your outer skin layer to tighten up, reducing the visibility of cellulite. So before your next big beach day, try rubbing a few slices of cucumber directly on your problem cellulite areas for a few minutes and watch the magic happen! Cumbers also prevent bloating and should be enjoyed with their skin fully intact to maximize their beauty benefits.

This past weekend was a mixture of bitter-sweet moments. With cool mornings and shorter days we feel the effects of summer coming to a end. Although I love the idea of fall fashion and cooler temperatures for chasing McCarthy around the yard, I also know this means it’s time to say goodbye to our summer friends. Jessica and Luke hold such a special place in our hearts because we have not only shared many moments of laughter and some epic dance offs, they have also loved my little boys and stolen their hearts. So this week as I sadly say goodbye, I will also smile as McCarthy walks around saying “Don’t mess with my woman” and telling everyone that will listen that Uncle Luke let him drive the boat.

Summer, you have been fab! But I’m excited for the warmth of fall desserts and the crisp autumn air…

You wake up Monday morning, and you are faced with the question was it worth it? You have just completed an epic weekend of cheating on your oh so clean lifestyle! It consisted of pizza, deep fried oreos, chips , ciders and other unmentionables…. Was it worth it? YEP! Every single pound of salty water weight I shall carry around with me this week as a reminder of laughing till my sides hurt, two stepping till the wee hours of the morning with Luke Bryan still ringing in my ears and my lungs burning from screaming out Tim McGraw’s lyrics (I touched those biceps and yes, ladies, those are for real. 🙂 . How did I prepare for this epic weekend of amazingess? You will always hear people say “I need to pump up my cardio sessions, I have _______ (fill in the blank) event coming up.” Ladies listen to me! PUMP THE IRON! What does loads and loads of cardio do? Well it makes you skinny fat for one, due to the fact that too much of that nonsense will eat away at your muscle tissue, which is exactly what you need to keep those salty pounds off and your body. Weight training is going to keep your metabolism burning long after your workouts and burn off whatever treats you may have had. The number one important thing in keeping those pounds off is losing body fat and not destroying your metabolism with crash dieting and winning the prize for cardio queen.

Why is my face so puffy>!

1. carb intake causes glycogen stores to fill up.2. sodium intake causes water to move from your bloodstream to underneath your skin (bloating)3. cortisol (due to a stress response, like excessive exercise and low calories) causes you to excrete potassium and retain sodium, which leads to #2. It has other effects on body composition too.

How do I come back from a weekend of this craziness?

Check out Bodybuilding.com Tips

1) Drink Tons of water

That’s right. You’ve probably heard this one before, and it is definitely true. This is the most important advice I can give, and I cannot stress its importance. Besides flushing out your kidneys and entire digestive system, hydrating your body, and brain, thereby allowing your metabolism to function more effectively, and just making for a nicer skin tone and appearance, drinking more water causes you to release more water through excretion, thereby dropping “water retention”.

Aim for 1-2 gallons of water a day, but be sure to take a complete multi-vitamin, as drinking a lot of water causes you to excrete many ions which may result in a deficiency of certain vitamins.

2) Sweat

Sweating is a way of “evaporative cooling”, a mechanism by which the body regulates its temperature. If you are sweating, it means your metabolism is probably in high gear, since a higher metabolism equals a higher resting body temperature for the most part. Also, water retention is not simply “water”, but sodium ions trapped underneath the skin. This is why your sweat tastes salty. A trick I use is to sit in the sauna, and keep drinking water. In the beginning, your sweat will taste salty, telling you that you are retaining sodium.

After a while, your sweat will begin to taste like water. This tells you that you have sweat most of the sodium out that was being retained underneath your skin, which means you have lost a good portion of muscle-masking fluid. Once again, whenever sitting in a sauna, be sure to have water handy, and be sure to supplement with a vitamin, as you sweat out many of your essential vitamins.

3) Fiber

Most Americans, and even more surprisingly, most “bodybuilders”, do not consume adequate amounts of fiber in their diet. Similar to water, which cleanses the urinary tract and kidneys, fiber cleanses the colon/intestinal tract, keeping things moving smoothly, and mores, aiding in the removal of excess fluid.

During my meals, I include fresh vegetables, and I steam the ones I cook very lightly or eat them raw with Balsamic Vinegar and/or garlic powder to make sure I don’t boil out all of their nutrients. I also include fresh fruits such as blackberries, raspberries, blueberries, and strawberries, all of which have plenty of fiber and many antioxidants` which help prevent against cancer and other ailments. When in doubt, berries are a greatway to go.

4) Relax

For most of us water rention will only last a few days, so don’t stress too much over that puffy face! Before you know it that lovely face of yours will look less like a cabbage patch doll and more like you:)

Happy Wednesday!

Breakfast-

Perogies

Bacon

Sausage

and eggs

Afternoon snacks

Chips

Milk Duds

Ciders

My passion and dedication to my work comes from a very personal place. I am determined to see woman freed from the lies and destructive lifestyles that are plaguing them. My goal is for women around the world to reach beyond what they thought they were capable of, live a healthy lifestyle and discover true happiness in their bodies.